The Study of the Atlantic Ocean Has Helped Detect Black Holes on Earth

The phenomenon of black holes in space has, for a long time, remained only a bare theory. Only in the late 1950s – early 1960s scientists applied the theory of relativity to these mathematical oddities, and after decades of research and calculation, black holes were finally accepted as true. However, no one expected to find them right here on Earth.

Everything changed when scientists from ETH Zurich and the University of Miami discovered what can reasonably be called black holes in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean . Mathematically, they are absolutely similar to black holes in space and have the same characteristics: everything that is near them can no longer escape, including water. These giant rotating water vortices reach up to 140 km in diameter and can drift across the ocean for several months.

Despite their similar nature, in contrast to frightening cosmic black holes, ocean vortices can even benefit: they help spread warm and salt waters, as well as microorganisms throughout the ocean. However, at the same time, they can select various harmful substances, such as oils or plastics, and because the vortices do not lose a drop of water during their campaigns, they transfer everything they have collected to a new place.

Due to their unique characteristics, the black holes of the ocean can help scientists and mathematicians learn more about spatial black holes.